So You Started A Social Media Business... Now What?

Hey there, fellow entrepreneur! So, you've taken the plunge into the world of business on social media - congrats! Remember that blog post I shared a few weeks back about kicking off your journey into the realm of entrepreneurship? Well, here we are! How's your website coming along? Are you starting to feel the buzz on your social media platforms? Now that you're on your way, let's dive into some common questions about navigating the ins and outs of running your social media business.

How do you figure out what your brand is?

I get asked about this a lot! Your spark isn’t this thing you need to be chasing. It’s not your purpose or some big hidden thing that you can’t quite figure out. Your spark is your life, and your spark is your brand! When you try too hard, you’ll often pigeonhole yourself into something that you think you are. My spark is not Disney. Mine and Andre’s sparks combined are that we were a couple that visited Disney World as adults and fell in love with the parks, food, drinks, etc. Then, we found this neighborhood and set a goal, and we’ve taken you all on that journey with us for the last several years. That’s my brand. You have to get so specific and so real about what your brand is. There is a more unique depth to you! Will you find it on day one? No, but that’s the beauty of it. Your brand is going to be your journey and the evolution of you over the years.

If you don’t have any money for marketing, how do you reach your target audience and grow?

You’re probably better off. The gimmicks that promote following don’t create that much of a loyal following. It’s people following you to win the prize or because they saw an ad; they don’t know you for you. The best way to grow a following is video. It doesn’t have to be a YouTube video, it can be Instagram stories, TIkTok, etc. People want to see you. If you have a video, people feel like they know you because you’re your authentic self on video. That doesn’t happen through a photo. That’s how you reach your target audience.

How do you promote yourself on your stories without being too pushy?

Believe in your product. If what you have is something that can genuinely help people, then stick to your guns. However, the line between bragging and being grateful is so fine, and you don’t want to cross that line. Focus on what it is that you love, what you’re grateful for and how it helped you. That’s not being pushy, that’s just sharing what worked for you.

How do you know if you’re creating good and engaging content?

Where I was going wrong in the beginning (and where most people go wrong) was spending so much time being worried about a preset, filter, or the location where a picture was taken. While that matters, those are the details. People want an authentic post. You will rarely see me post all about myself and nothing else. Usually I will share a little bit about my journey, take you along for the ride, and ask a question. It’s really boring to be on social media talking with a megaphone at people. To create an engaging post isn’t just a blind question, it’s a genuine care factor. I think the more you can develop that on social media, the more you’ll grow. You’re creating a community of people that actually care to be there because they know that you care.

How do you create content when nothing is going on?

When you have nothing going on, document, don’t create. The best pictures and videos you’re ever going to take are in that moment, not staged. If you feel like you’ve got nothing going on, trust me, it’s still entertaining to other people. For example, I completely reorganized my fridge one day, and it was fascinating to so many people! Keep sharing!

What is your advice for getting results when you just feel stuck?

In the beginning, I would compare myself to other people, and I didn’t know if I could ever be like them. Do not compare yourself. Run your own race, and get really excited about your own consistency. You’re not racing against anyone else; it’s you versus you. What I did when I first started was set new goals for each month. I wouldn’t look at what other people were doing, and instead focused on the things I could control. I would look at what I did the month prior, and try to match or outdo that.

When you’re first starting and growing your business, you also have to remember to give yourself some grace, and some time. Belief and consistency over a period of time are the greatest gifts you can give yourself.

Have you ever hit a plateau in your social media career? If so, how did you change that?

I tried really hard to grow my social media platforms, specifically Instagram and YouTube. At a certain point, I did hit a plateau. I went through a phase where I was trying to post pictures like a girl I followed and tried to be like her. What ended up happening is that I became a watered down version of her, because I was trying so hard to mimic what she was doing. While there is power in duplicating what a successful person does, what happens is that you kind of lose yourself along the way. Not only did I feel lost in my messaging, but I didn’t have joy in what I was posting anymore because it was so not me. I was losing followers and getting less engagement because I was trying to be someone else. That could be you, whether you realize it or not.

How do you legally sell character themed items you’ve made without getting copyrighted?

I’m not a lawyer, but from what I understand, “inspired by” designs are okay. Maybe use characters as a starting point, but I would challenge you to set a goal to grow beyond and innovate. Get to a point where you don’t need to have a Mickey logo, for example, on your products. I think that one restriction of being careful about the legalities of it should be the thing that pushes you to use those creative juices!

How do you say “no” to clients?

I would suggest having set pricing paired with the offerings you have. For example, if someone wants a Zoom meeting with you, have that built into your pricing as one of your offerings. I think that’s a really simple fact. Simplify it for yourself, but also make your offerings clear to your customers. If someone does want something and you have to say “no,” be confident in the fact that you’re a business owner. You can’t always trade all of your time for zero dollars. More than anything, you might gain more respect when you have clear-cut rules.

How do you deal with people that leave mean comments?

I could go on about this forever, because part of me wants to see you succeed far beyond pausing or even wasting 5 minutes on a mean comment. If someone leaves an opinionated comment and it’s a healthy debate, that’s fine. If they’re there just to be mean, I think it’s hilarious that someone would spend 20 minutes crafting a negative comment and stewing in their anger, when it takes the creator 0.5 seconds to delete said comment. If someone leaves a mean-spirited comment to me or someone else and it’s not helping in any way, shape, or form… they can live under their dark cloud, but we don’t have to, so I delete it. If someone has done that to you, just delete it, or if you really want to, block them. You have a planet of people that you are probably trying to attract that just get you. They understand you as a person, no matter what it is that you love or share. If someone doesn’t understand you, it’s almost better that they out themselves now. This way, you kind of know, and it should almost bring you some peace of mind because you would never want that person as a customer or client anyway.

Additionally, if you look at where you’re taking the opinions of others, are you taking them from someone that always seems to be negative and have a problem with other people, and it’s everybody else that’s the problem? If they talk smack about every other person, who’s to say they’re not going to talk smack about me, or that they don’t do it about everything in their life? This is how I think of friendships and people that I trust on social media. I’m very mindful of where my source of information is coming from.

I don’t want you to think it isn’t difficult. It is, especially in the beginning, but it gets easier and easier. Delete, block and keep going because you will be glad that you did.

Whether you’ve been smooth sailing or feeling stuck, I hope this helped you gain some clarity on how to run a business on social media. Keep going, keep posting, and keep blocking out those haters. You’ve got this! I’d love to cheer you on, so drop your website or social media handle below!

7 Days of Food & Drinks at Disney World

Today we’re talking all things food and drinks at Disney, which is a topic I LOVE to speak on. I get asked a ton about where to eat in Disney World, and I totally get it because there are so many options! I would encourage you to try the underdog locations. Don’t necessarily just go to the places that are the most hyped, because some of the best food, memories and experiences happen on a whim at these places!

I also want to preface this by saying that Andre and I don’t go out to eat for every meal while we’re in Florida. Breakfast isn’t always Mickey waffles; sometimes it’s Raisin Bran. Sometimes lunch is a homemade sandwich. It’s important to remember that just because something wasn’t filmed or shown on social media, doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. We’re still working, working out and living our normal lives, with a touch of Disney magic!

Let’s jump right in!

Saturday

We wanted to check out the Conrad Hotel. You can go on property even if you aren’t staying there, and our experience was incredible. We started with cocktails at the Papaya Club. The drinks were amazing and it was a whole vibe; I LOVED it. I would describe it as an elevated Trader Sam’s. When I say “elevated,” I don’t mean better, just fancier. The restaurant is right off of the pool which is huge, so it feels like you’re on a lagoon. It’s beautiful! After drinks, we went to dinner on the top story of the hotel at Ceiba. We will definitely be returning!

Sunday

The next day, we went on a little Skyliner bar crawl with some friends. This could be a really cool way to do Disney that doesn’t require a park entrance, but I did bring my Magic Band just in case. We started at the Caribbean Beach Resort at Banana Cabana. I had to get their Banana Cabana cocktail; it’s a rum punch and it’s delightful! Then, we walked over to the Riviera Resort. I suggested the rooftop bar at Topolino's Terrace, which turned out to be a great decision. There, I had a dirty martini with gin, and we shared the ricotta appetizer. When you go on a bar crawl, you’ve got to make sure you’re also eating at each location!

From there, we took the Skyliner over to EPCOT. We walked to the Beach Club Resort and went to Martha’s Vineyard. I had a martini there (my go-to), and the Loaded Potato Barrels (loaded tater tots). They were so good! Next, we went to Crew’s Cup Lounge at the Yacht Club Resort. If you go to Crew’s Cup, you have to get the Magical Star cocktail because it’s the most quintessential Disney beverage you could ever have! It’s pink, glowing and beautiful, and it’s always my go-to drink. This was our last stop of the night, so it was kind of ideal we ended there.

Monday

I had an amazing time on the bar crawl, but the next day I was ze’tired, as Andre would say. It was just us for the first time on the trip after back-to-back socializing, so it was nice to lay low and have a chill night. We took the golf cart to one of our new favorite places, Territory Lounge at Wilderness Lodge. Our favorites are the Territory Popcorn Sampler and the Artisanal Cheese & Charcuterie.

Tuesday

Andre and I had a pre-date day because the restaurant we wanted to go to wasn’t available. Something we love doing in the morning is walking over to the Four Seasons Resort to get coffee and a bagel from Lickety Split. It’s a little ritual we have! We got massages, then got ready and went to dinner at our second favorite restaurant, Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya in the Japan Pavilion at EPCOT (we have lots of favorites, but this is definitely a top pick). We got hot sake, edamame, Miso soup, A5 Wagyu, Rock Shrimp Tempura and the Spicy Crunch Roll. It’s very cool because there are huge windows, so you can see the fireworks show from inside the restaurant. The only thing I find a little weird is that they don’t dim the lights in the restaurant. However, it’s still a new-ish place, so maybe they will do that eventually.

Wednesday

For lunch, we went to a little hidden gem that not many people know about. It’s called PB&G (Pool Bar & Grill) at the Four Seasons Resort. It’s a vibe! They play reggae music; it’s very casual and feels like you’re on a tropical vacation. They have great service and great, fresh food. I got an American Burger and a margarita.

For dinner, we were able to get a reservation at Capa at the Four Seasons for date night. This seems to be our prime date night location, especially because we can walk or take the golf cart there. It’s Spanish inspired food, which I think is my favorite. We had a very romantical and lovely night! We started with cocktails at the bar and had a full circle moment. We sat in the exact seats we were sitting in when we put the offer in on our new home in Canada. It was very special to be sitting in the same seats, and we’ll be closing on our old house very soon. At Capa, we always get the wagyu, and then we revolve the rest of the meal around it. When we eat there, we let the server decide what else to order, and we got a really nice mixture of food. Shout out to our server Kayla; she told us what to do and we just listened! We got red wine, Jamón de Bellota (ham), Rodajas de Tomate (cucumber salad), A5 Miyazaki Wagyu Beef, and Churros de Madrid for dessert. After dinner, we took a drive in the golf cart, then hung out in the hot tub since it was a chilly night.

Thursday

We wandered over to EPCOT for lunch. We wanted to try to get into Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria in the Italy Pavilion, but instead we ended up going to Connections Café. They have some good pizza! We walked around and grabbed a cocktail; I got the Grey Goose Citron Lemonade Slush from Les Vins des Chefs de France in the France Pavilion. Later, we headed over to Disney Springs for some shopping and dinner. Some of the best margaritas are from Chef Art Smith's Homecomin', so obviously we stopped to grab some before dinner. For dinner, we got some spaghetti at Terralina Crafted Italian. I love love love that place. We also got Mozzarella-stuffed Rice Balls, Caprese and bread.

Speaking of margaritas, I’d love to give you my picks for the top three margaritas on property!

1. Chef Art Smith's Homecomin' at Disney Springs: I mentioned these were some of the best! Go to the walkup counter and get the Moonshine Margarita. Just be careful because they are strong! What’s cool is that it comes in a squeeze bottle, and if you bring the bottle back the next time you go, you get a pretty substantial discount off the drink.

2. Jaleo by José Andrés at Disney Springs: The Salt Air Margarita is amazing, but also very dangerous because it goes down like juice! It’s a margarita in a martini glass with foam on top. The foam has sea salt in it, so every sip has a little bit of salt.

3. Phins at the Dolphin Hotel: Just ask for a margarita, but in the smoked box. *Chef’s kiss*

Friday

The next morning, we went for breakfast at Bolton’s in Golden Oak. Their lemon ricotta pancakes are SO good. For lunch, we got the reservation we wanted at Via Napoli at EPCOT. We had the Mozzarella Caprese, Arancini, Spicy Italian Sausage Pizza and Coca-Cola. After work, we went back to Disney Springs to grab a bite at Frontera Cocina. We shared the Chips & Guacamole - Verde, Queso Fundido, and I had the La Cava Avocado cocktail. Then, we headed over to Scat Cat’s Club at Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter for some live music. The Mickey Beignets here are a must-have!

With that, a week of Disney eating is complete! We started with drinking across the World on the Skyliner, and then just did all of the things! I’d like to leave you with one last piece of advice: when going to Disney, look for the magic and enjoyment, and try not to be so stressed trying to go on 20 million rides and all of the restaurants. Don’t avoid certain places just because of holidays or popular vacation times like Spring Break. You can still have fun walking around, being part of the magic, and making it incredible.

Magical Disney Days

When we have friends or family in town, we like to take them on the full Angie & Andre Disney Day experience. Basically, this means we do Disney the adult way, with copious amounts of delicious food and cocktails. A couple of weeks ago, we had family in town, so we went against our usual rule. We don’t typically go on a ton of rides, but this time, we told our guests we would take them on all the best rides, and do all the things. We did all four parks in one day! This always leaves me exhausted, not physically, but my social battery is drained. If you’re interested in hearing what the Angie & Andre experience looks like, then just keep reading!

We are not rope droppers. If you want to get up early, by all means, do it! For me, I feel like it’s always more chaotic at that time, so you’re almost better off just starting a little bit after. We got to the first park at 9 AM, and were out until around 8 PM. We did about 25,000 steps total! The weather through March is perfection. However, the crowds were crowding with all of the Spring Breakers out. Magic Kingdom was crazy, which is how I always feel. EPCOT was okay, Hollywood Studios was totally fine, and Animal Kingdom was pretty empty, so that was great.

The first park we went to was Magic Kingdom. As for rides, we did not mess around and just did the heavy hitters. We went straight to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, then jumped on the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. We actually got stuck going uphill in the cave on Seven Dwarfs, which was not my favorite moment. If this happens to you, I don’t suggest looking backward. Yikes! I love both of these rides, but Tron is my number one favorite, hands down. If you’ve never done it, I highly recommend it! To give you an idea, I’m a baby with rides. I can’t do Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind or The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, but Tron is incredible. I also love Space Mountain, but we skipped it this time around. Apparently the one at Disneyland is better, but I don’t think I’ve ever done that one.

Once we finished up at Magic Kingdom, we got in the car and went straight to EPCOT. First, we hopped on Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure because that is my second favorite ride. Then, we had lunch at Andre’s mom’s favorite restaurant, Chefs de France (in the France Pavilion). After lunch, we went over to Soarin’ Around the World, which was lovely. However, EPCOT gets very chaotic in this area because everything is under construction, so it’s hard to get from World Showcase to the Figment area.

We then took the Skyliner to Hollywood Studios to meet our friends for cocktails. I’m not a huge fan of the Skyliner; it’s just not my jam. It was okay that day, but I would not suggest going on it on a windy day. Once we got to Hollywood Studios, we went on Andre’s favorite ride of all time, which is Toy Story Mania. He takes it very seriously, although I crushed it that day! He’s a sore loser, but I’m a sore winner, lol. Then, we went on Slinky Dog Dash. Andre’s reaction on this ride is probably my favorite thing of all time. It’s hilarious! We wanted to go on Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, but we found out it was broken when we walked up. Luckily we hadn’t waited over an hour like some people had! This has happened to us before, and what they did was issue us one day Lightning Lane passes, so we could jump ahead in line once the ride was fixed.

By that point, it was about 4 or 5 PM, so we went over to Animal Kingdom. Our mission was to ride Avatar Flight of Passage (Andre’s mom’s favorite ride), and have sunset drinks at Nomad Lounge. Nomad Lounge is one of my favorite spots, especially in the Spring. It’s not too hot and it’s just lovely! They have a really good charcuterie board and amazing sliders. Once we finished up at Animal Kingdom, we were completely spent. We left the park by about 8:30, and went straight to bed when we got home.

Living in Golden Oak, I always get questions about the perks that come with it. Despite what some people might think, we don’t get all the things for free, and you can’t just go to the parks whenever you want. We did get a few years’ worth of annual passes, which is amazing. However, I wouldn’t say they were free, because the price of the passes was included in the price of the house. One epic perk that doesn’t get talked about a lot is that we are allowed to park wherever we want. We can park at the hotels, the theme parks, etc. and don’t have to pay the parking fee. Another cool behind the scenes perk is that we get to preview rides. We got to preview Ratatouille, and I rode it for the first time on my birthday. It was incredible! We were also able to preview Tron, which was super cool. I think DVC and Club 33 members can also do this!

The day after park hopping, we went to Disney Springs. Andre and I joke that it’s our favorite park (it’s not a park, but we love it). It’s a whole vibe! We had a traditional low-key Angie and Andre day, which consisted of going shopping at Disney Springs, having lunch, coming home and working, then getting in the pool. The big dream for us was to be able to go to Disney World or Disney Springs on our work days. We used to say, “can you imagine a world where we pop over to EPCOT on our lunch breaks?” It’s wild that we can do that now! It’s incredible and we love it.

At night, we love to just chill. We’ll usually do some Lego, play video games, or go for a golf cart ride. We love taking the golf cart over to Fort Wilderness Lodge. We recently found a bar next to Story Book Dining at Artist Point that is the best hidden gem; it’s called Territory Lounge. It’s my new favorite spot! They have such good food and service, and the shareable plates are amazing.

Thank you for being a part of our very Disney days. I love bringing you along! I hope you enjoyed the ride, and maybe even got some ideas for your next Disney vacation.